Shutter device for counter mechanisms



Nov. 30, 1943. E. M. ORBECK SHUTTE R DEVICE FOR COUNTER MECHANISMS Filed July 25, 1941 2 Sheqts-Sheet 1 FIG. J.

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SHUTTER DEVICE FOR COUNTER MECHANISMS Filed July 23, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v Patented Nov. 30, 1943 SHUTTER DEVICE FOR COUNTER MECHANISMS Einar M. Orbeck, West Hartford, Conn, assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Veeder-Root Incorporated, Hartford, Conn., a corporation of Conneeticut Application July 23, 1941, Serial No. 403,629

5 Claims.

My invention relates to shutter Warning means interconnected with an indicating registering mechanism for concealing the indicia wheels thereof from View from the initiation of the resetting-to-zero operation until such time as all of the counter Wheels have been reset to their predetermined initial position. My invention is applicable to any register mechanism of the well known types which include a plurality of indicia Wheels and tens-transfer mechanism. Such register mechanisms are ordinarily connected to meters by which the volume of fluid dispensed is measured.

In many jurisdictions, mandatory regulations of the bureaus of weights and measures require that registering mechanisms, of types in which the indicia wheels are set forward to zero position, must be provided with means to conceal from View the indicia appearing upon the wheels during any resetting operation. Such requirements are for the protection of the buying public and are to prevent a dishonest operator either from initiating a subsequent dispensing operation until all of the counter wheels are first reset to zero position, or from advancing the counter wheel during resetting after a dispensing operation, to thereby dishonestly indicate to a customer that a greater amount of the commodity has been dispensed than actually has been measured.

My invention includes shutter means for covering the visible portions of the indicating wheels of a register to prevent a reading of the indicator when the register has not been reset to initial position, and means for moving such shutters out of concealing position to permit visibility of the indicia on the indicating wheels when the mechanism is being operated after a proper resetting of the indicator. If the registering means be fully reset to initial position prior to the initiation of a dispensing operation, the shutters means remain entirely out of view until such time as the register be subsequently reset to initial position.

It is an object of my invention to provide shutter means, interconnected with the resetting means of a register, which will automatically drop down and conceal the indicating wheels immediately upon any movement of the means utilized to effect a resetting-to-zero of the register.

Another object of my invention is to provide means to insure that the shutter means will remain in position to conceal the indicator wheels from view until such time as all of said indicator wheels have been completely returned to their initial position.

My invention includes the various novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified.

Fig. I is a partially vertical sectional view, taken on the lines I, I, in Fig. VIII, of my improved shutter mechanism embodied in a tenstransfer registering mechanism of the conventional type and enclosed within an outer casing, and showing such mechanism in its initial position after resetting to zero, in which position the shutter is raised to permit the indicator wheels to be visible through apertures in the wall of the outer casing.

Fig. II is a side elevation of the knee link by which the shutter means are raised and lowered.

Fig. III is an end elevation of the right hand side of the mechanism shown in Fig. II.

Fig. IV is a side elevation of the shutter oper ating mechanism shown in Fig. I and in the position which it assumes immediately upon the initiation of the resetting operation.

Fig. V is a side elevation of the shutter operating mechanism shown in Figs. I and IV and in the position which it assumes immediately following the position in Fig. IV, and in which the projection carried by one of the members of the knee link has been moved into the path of the knee link resetting stud carried by the reset cam, and with the cam roller moved from the cam notch to the periphery of the cam.

Fig. VI is a side elevation of the shutter operating mechanism shown in the position which it assumes after the knee link has been restored to straight line position.

Fig. VII is a side elevation of the shutter operating mechanism shown in the position which it assumes immediately prior to movement of the mechanism to raise the shutter to the position shown in Fig. I, and with the cam roller about to be engaged in the cam notch to compel the shutter to be moved to raised position.

Fig. VIII is a front elevation of the registry means shown in Fig. I, but with the outer casing removed and with the shutters in position to conceal the indicia appearing on the indicating wheels.

Referring to said drawings, the registering mechanism indicated is of the well-known conventional type including a plurality of indicia carrying wheels I, provided with gear wheels 2 in engagement with conventional tens-transfer pinions 3. Said wheels I are mounted upon the shaft 4 conveniently journaled in the opposite bearings 4 which have reduced portions pressfitted respectively into the opposite side wall members 5. Said registering mechanism is conveniently embodied in the housing 1 including the bottom closure 8, middle section 9, and top closure I8. Said middle section 9 is provided at the front thereof with a glass enclosed opening l2 permitting visibility of the indicia wheels I through a series of apertures is formed in the register means front cover plate M which is conveniently held in position by a series of screws [6 engaging the flanged brackets I? connected to the side frame members 5.

Said registering mechanism includes the gear adapted for engagement with the driving gear of any of the well-known types of fluid meters. Said gear 29 is conveniently fastened by means of the pin 2! to the shaft 22 which is lournaled in the bottom closure 8. Said shaft 22' carries at its upper end the gear 23 rigidly secured thereon and in driving connection with the gear 25 mounted on the shaft 26 which is respectively journaled at its lower and upper ends in the closure plate 8 and cross-supporting member 21. Said member 27 is supported by the side frame members 5 and conveniently fastened thereto by means of a series of screws 28 in the downwardly turned flanges 29 of said cross member 2?.

Said shaft 25 carries, intermediate of its length, the helical gear 36 fastened to said shaft 25, conveniently by means of the pin 31 in the hub 39' of said gear 33. Said gear 383 is in engagement with the gear 32 fastened to the shaft 33, the axis of which is at right angles to the axis of said shaft 26. Said shaft 33 is conveniently journaled in said side wall members 5. Said shaft 33 carries at its right hand end the gear 35 in engagement with the idle gear 352. Said gear 33 is conveniently mounted for freedom of turning movement on the stud shaft 3i mounted in the side wall bracket 5. Said gear 3% is in engagement with the gear 38 carried by the indicia wheel of lowest order, which is the wheel shown in Fig. I. Said shaft 33 is provided with a clutch of any of the well-known types to permit disengagement of the driving connection between the gear 32 and the gear 35 during the resetting operation of the counter.

The shutter GB is comprised of a series of arcuate shutter fingers d2 of substantially the same width as the faces of the indicia wheels I. When said shutter is in the upraised position as shown in Fig. I, the shutter fingers 42 do not obscure the indicia on the wheels I from appearing through the apertures l3 formed in the front plate id. However, said shutter fingers =32 are of such length as to completely obscure from an observer the numbered wheels I through the apertures [3 when the shutter has been tripped, and moved to its lowered position, as shown in Figs. IV to VIII inclusive. Said shutter 58 has the side arm members 43 and 44 provided with bearing surfaces 45 in engagement with the respective peripheries of the bearings 4, thereby permitting freedom of oscillatory movement for said shutter iii and arcuate fingers 42 about the axis of the shaft 4.

Said side arm member Mi is provided with the enlargement Q6 carrying the stud ii' rigidly mounted thereon. The tripping mechanism for the shutter includes the knee link comprising the upper member 48 and the lower member 55. Said upper member 43 is provided with the hole 49 and journaled for freedom of turning movement on the stud 41. Said link A8 carries, rigidly mounted thereon at its upper end, the tripping stud 52, the function of which is hereinafter described. Said link G8 is actuated with a snap action by the over-center spring 4'1, one end of which is carried by and encircles the stud 4'1 and the opposite end of which is fastened to the stud 54 rigidly mounted in the right hand side frame member 5. The lower member 55 of the knee link is pivotally connected at its upper end by the rivet 5% to the upper knee link member 48. Said link member 55 is pivotally mounted at its lower end on the rivet stud 58 carried by the reset arm member 68 which is pivoted on the screw shaft 5! rigidly mounted in the side frame member 5. Said knee link members 48 and 55 are continually stressed toward the position shown in Fig. II by the spring 63, the opposite ends of which are connected respectively to the links 48 and 55. In such position, the three points comprising the axis of the resetting stud 52, the axis of the rivet pivot 53, and the axis of the pivot stud 58 are approximately in a straight line, said knee link member being over center only about of an inch. Said links 48 and 55 are prevented from assuming a position beyond that in which the aforesaid three points are approximately in a straight line by means of the upturned flange formed at the upper end of the link 55, coming into engagement with the lower end of the link 38, as best shown in Fig. II.

Said shaft 4 has mounted at the right hand end thereof the cam 65 provided with the hub 86 having mounted in integral relation therewith the reset handle til. Said cam 65 is provided with the cam notch 69 for engagement with the reset arm roller 1'9 which is mounted to turn freely on its rivet stud 'il rigidly mounted in said arm Gil.

Said cam 65 has rigidly mounted thereon the stud T3 for engagement, with the reset stud 52 of the knee link member when the cam 65 is in the position shown in Fig. VI. Said reset arm member Ed is continually stressed clockwise by the spring i5, one end of which encircles the stud i6 rigidly mounted on said reset arm member 59 and the other end of which spring encircles the screw stud ll fastened to said side frame member 5.

Said shaft 6! extends through the side frame member Eand carries at it opposite end a bifurcated spring-pressed brake shoe assembly, not shown, of ordinary construction, for engagement with the conventional type of clutch interposed between the gears 32 and 35 so that when the reset arm E0 is in the position shown in Figs. V to VIII inclusive, the train of gears including the gears 25, 23, 25, 3i), and 32 remains stationary while said conventional type clutch permits freedom of movement of the gears 35, 36, 38, etc., during any resetting operation of the counter effected by a turning of the reset'handle 61.

Said cam 65 carries the fiat spring which is rigidly connected at one end to-said cam by the rivet 8i. Said spring 89 has at its opposite end the tripping stud 82 which is adapted to extend through and slide freely in the circular bearing hole 83 formed'in said cam 65. Said tripping stud 32 projects through said cam 65 to a sufficient extent to be presented in a plane wherein it may engage the tripping stud 52 carried by the upper member 48 of said knee link.

The resetting of the counter is effected by one complete revolution clockwise of the reset handle 6'1. As is well known and conventional in resetting counters of the type to which my invention is applicable, there is a continued over.- throw movement of the resetting crank and cam at the end of the resetting revolution toper-mit and effect a proper lining up of the number wheels, following which the resetting cam and reset handle are then returned counterclockwise to a position represented by one complete revolution of the reset crank. In the structure herein shown, such counterclockwise compensating movement of the cam 65 is effected by the spring 15 when the roller is seated in its final position in the cam notch 69, as shown in Fig. I. Therefore, I find it convenient to provide said stud 82 with an inclined cam face so as to permit said stud 82 to ride over the stud 52 counterclockwise from its overthrow position. Said stud 82 being mounted at the end of the flexible flat spring 80 and said stud 82 being free to move in the opening 83 formed in the cam 85, when the inclined cam surface of the stud 82 comes into engagement with the stud 52 during the counterclockwise movement of the cam 85 for compensation for the overthrow, the inclined surface of the stud 82 slides over the stud 52, which merely causes a flexing of the spring 88 which permits said stud 82 to be moved out of the path of the stud 52,

I also have found it convenient to provide a stop pawl 85 journaled on the stud 88 rigidly mounted in the side frame member 5. Said stop pawl 85 is continually stressed clockwise by means of a spring 8'7, one end of which engages the arcuate surface of said pawl 85, as shown in Fig. I, and the other end of said spring 81 encircles and is fastened to the stud 88. Once a resetting operation ha been initiated, and the roller 10 moved out of the cam notch 69 by clockwise movement of the reset handle 61, any attempt to thereafter move the reset cam 65 in an improper counterclockwise direction would result in the stop pawl 85 engaging the cam notch 69 to prevent further counterclockwise rotation of said cam 85. During normal resetting operation in which the reset handle 6'1 and cam 65 are turned clockwise, said top pawl 85 rides upon the periphery of the cam 65.

Operation At the end of a measuring operation, the counter wheels have been advanced to a position indicating the quantity dispensed by the meter with which the gear wheel 28 of the registering mechanism is connected, and such quantity is indicated by the indicia on the counter wheels 1 visible to the observer through the apertures [3 formed in the cover plate l4. Fig. I also indicates the position of the mechanism at the end of a dispensing operation. To reset the register mechanism to zero position prior to the initiation of a subsequent dispensing operation, the operator turns the reset handle 81 clockwise one complete revolution plus the number of degrees represented by the amount of overthrow. Any initial clockwise resetting movement of the handle 81 causes the stud 82 to engage the stud 52 which is in its path, and any slight movement clockwise of the stud 52, and member 48 carrying said stud 52, permits the over-center spring 41' to overcome the forces exerted by the spring 63 and snap the knee link from the position shown in Fig. I to the position shown in Fig. IV. Continued clockwise turning movement of the reset handle 81 causes the cam roller 10 to move out of engagement with the cam notch 69 into engagement with the periphery of said cam 65, as shown in Fig. V. Movement of the cam roller 10 out of its cam notch 89 for engagement with the periphery of the cam 65 causes the member 55 of the knee link, pivoted to said reset arm 80 carrying the cam roller, to move to the position shown in Fig. V and in which the stud 52 is in the path of the stud 13 carried by said cam 85. Continued clockwise turning movement of said cam 65 brings the stud 13 into engagement with the stud 52, thereby moving said member 48 counterclockwise about its pivot 41, and permits the spring 83 to restore the knee link, as shown in Fig. VI, to a position in which the axes of the stud 52, rivet pivot 56, and pivot stud 58 are in a straight line.

When the cam 65 reaches the point in its clockwise movement where its cam notch 68 is presented for engagement with the reset arm roller 10, said roller 10 enters the cam notch 69 and said reset arm 68 is moved clockwise about its pivot by means of the spring 15. Such clockwise movement of the reset arm 60, with the knee link members 48 and 55 in approximately a straight line position, said knee link being over center only about a of an inch, as shown in Fig. VII, causes the shutter 40, with its shutter fingers 42, to be moved clockwise and raise said shutter 40 and fingers 42 to the position shown in Fig. I and in which the shutter fingers are in nonobscuring position with respect to the portions of the number wheels appearing through the apertures l3 formed in the cover plate l4.

In resetting said counter to zero, the reset cam 65 and crank 61 are turned clockwise in excess of 360 to effect a proper lining up of the counter wheels. Such excess clockwise. movement of the cam 65 therefore carries the stud 82 beyond its tripping position, as shown in Fig. I. When th reset handle 61 is released by the operator, the spring 15 effects counterclockwise compensating movement of the cam 65 as the roller 10 moves into the cam notch 68 to the position shown in Fig. I. Counterclockwise movement of the cam causes counterclockwise movement of the stud 82 carried by said cam 65. When said stud 82, during such counterclockwise movement, comes in contact with the stud 52, the inclined cam face of said stud 82 causes said stud 82 to ride over the stud 52 counterclockwise. During the riding of the stud 82 over the stud 52, said stud 82 moves outwardly in th opening 83 against the efiective forces of the flat spring 88. After passing over said stud 52, the stud 82 is restored to its normal position by means of its spring 88.

It is of course to be understood that clockwise movement of the reset handle 6'! through one complete revolution, as described above, contemporaneously causes the counter wheels I to be restored to zero position through conventionalmeans well-known in the counter or indicating; registering mechanism art.

I do not desire to limit myself to the precise details of construction and arrangement above described, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In shutter warning means for registering mechanisms which include tens transfer mechanism and a plurality of wheels carrying indicia on their faces; a shutter pivoted about the same axis as said wheels and alternately movable to concealing and exposing positions in front thereof, means for resetting said wheels to zero position and including a reset cam having a notch in its periphery and a pivoted reset arm having a stud engageable in said notch when said wheels are in zero position and arranged to b cammed out of notch upon initial resetting move: ment of said resetting means whereby to, cause piv moveme t f d a m, a nee. to l ioint link connection between said shutter and said reset arm and having a slightly over center= sub.-

stantially straight line positionwhen said shutter i in stress n position, a pr n nt ual y tends ris i mo e i ut er to con a ng posit a d; me ns c r d b a d cam fo t pp n said link to a broken condition at the initiation of a resetting operation and thus permit said spring to move said shutter at the initiation of a resetime p ra ion t a c e l ns posit o ZI In utter Wa ni mean o e ister mechanisms which include tens transfer mechanism and a plurality of wheels carrying indicia on then-faces; a shutter pivoted about the same axis as said wheels and alternately movable to con-. cealing and exposing positions in front thereof,

means for resetting said wheels to zero position and. including a reset cam having a notch in its periphery and a pivoted reset arm having a stud engageable in said notch when said wheels are in zero position and arranged to be cammed out of said notch upon initial resetting movement of said resetting means whereby to cause pivotal movement of said arm, a knee toggle joint link connection between said shutter and said reset arm and having a slightly over center substantially straight line position when said shutter is in exposing position, a spring continually tending to move said shutter to concealing position, means carried by said cam for tripping said link to a broken condition at the initiation of a resetting operation and thus permit said splfing to move said shutter at the initiation of a resetting operation to a concealing position, and means carried by said cam for restoring said link to its substantially straight line position at the end of the resetting operation whereby to move said shutter to exposing position after the wheels have been reset to Zero.

3. In shutter warning means for registering mechanisms which include tens transfer mechanism and a plurality of wheels carrying indicia. on their faces; a shutter pivoted about the same axis as said wheels and alternately movable to concealing and exposing positions in front there-. of, means for resetting saidwheels to zero posi-, tion and including a reset cam having a notch in its periphery and a pivoted reset arm having a stud engageable in said notch when said wheels, are in zero position and arranged to be cammed out of said notch upon initial resetting movement of said resetting means whereby to cause pivotal movement of said arm, a knee toggle joint link connection between said shutter and said reset arm and having a slightly over center substantially straight line position when said shutter in exposing position, a spring continually tending to move said shutter to concealing position, a first stud carried by said cam for tripping said link to a broken condition at the initiation of a resetting operation and thus permit said spring to move said shutter at the initiation of, a resetting operation to a concealing position, and a second stud carried by said cam for restoring said link to its substantially straight line posi-. tion at the end of the resetting operation where-. by to move said shutter to exposing position after the wheels have been reset to zero.

4,. In shutter warning means for registering mechanisms which include tens transfer mech anism and a plurality of wheels carrying indicia on their faces a shutter pivoted about the same axis as said wheels and alternately movable to concealing and exposing positions in front thereof, means ion resetting said wheels to zero position and including a reset cam having a notch in its periphery and a pivoted reset arm having a stud 'engageable in said notch when said wheels are in zero position and arranged to be cammed out of said notch upon initial resetting movement of said resetting means whereby to cause pivotal movement of said arm, a knee toggle joint link connection between and pivotally connected at its opposite ends to said shutter and said reset arm and having a slightly overcenter substantiallystraight line position when said shutter is in exposing position, said-link connection having a tripping stud adjacent one end thereof, a spring continually tendingto move said shutter to concealing position, asecond springbetween the' links of said link connection normally urging the link connection to its straight line position, a first stud carried by said cam and en- 3 gageable with said tripping stud for tripping said link to a broken condition at the initiation of a resetting operation and thus permit said first mentioned spring to move said shutter at the initiation of a resetting operation to a consealing position, and a second stud carried by said cam and'engageable with said tripping stud for restoring said'link' to its substantially straight line position at the end of the resetting operation whereby" to move said shutter to exposing position after the wheels have been reset to zero.

5. In shutter warning means for registering mechanisms which include tens transfer mechanism and a plurality of'wheels carrying indica on their faces; a shutter pivoted about the same axisas said wheels and alternately movable to concealing and exposing positions in front thereof, means for resetting said wheels to zero position and including a reset cam having a notch in its periphery and a pivoted reset arm having a stud engageable in said notch when said wheels are in zero position and arranged to be cammed out of saidnotch upon initial resetting movement of said resetting means whereby to cause pivotal movement of said arm, said stud after said; wheels have been reset to zero being again engageable in said notch and causing a limited retrograde rotation of said earn, a knee toggle joint link connection between said shutter and reset arm and having a slightly over center substantially straight line position when said shutter is in exposing position, said link connection having a tripping stud adjacent one end thereof, a spring continually tending to move said shutter to concealing position, a spring pressed stud carried by said cam and engageable with said tripping stud for tripping said link to a broken condition at the initiation of a resetting operation, and a second stud carried by said cam and engageable with said tripping stud for restoring said link to its substantially straight line position at the end of the resetting operation, said spring pressed stud having an inclined cam surface adapted to ride over said tripping stud without moving the same upon retrograde rotation of said came EINAR M. ORBECK. 

